Bishop fractures skull after being doored while cycling - but says he should have worn his helmet

Roubaixcobbles wrote:

He means the fractured skull was his fault for not wearing a helmet, not the incident. Imagine you're sitting in a car at the lights and someone drives straight into the back of you. No way on earth is the incident your fault, but if you go flying through the windscreen because you weren't wearing a seatbelt because you think being told to wear them is propaganda and spend your life banging on about this on social media, then that is your own silly fault.

The sole difference being that it is a legal requirement to wear a seat belt, so there may be some element of responsibility for injuries resulting from the collision you describe; but those injuries would still be the fault of the driver who hit you.

When I say  the sole difference, I mean exactly that, as seat belts, like cycle helmets, do not reduce the overall death rate.  Before the law was brought in here in the UK, a parliamentary report was produced, the Isles Report, which examined what had happened in countries with seat belt laws.  It found that overall there was no reduction in deaths on the road, as some drivers were saved, but more pedestrians, cyclists and back seat passengers were killed because the drivers drove more dangerously because they felt safer; the risk compensation effect.  If only the report had been published.

The roads would be much safer if all safety features, seat belt, air bag etc, were removed for drivers and a 14" rusty bayonet was pointing at them from the middle of the steering wheel.

But if you really want to be safe...

Never understood why they're not simply called crash helmets. Of course that might make people realise driving a car is dangerous, and we can't have that can we?

As this story clearly demonstrates, the safest option for every cyclist isn't related to helmets but to avoid riding in the f**king door zone!

Roubaixcobbles wrote:

the fractured skull was his fault for not wearing a helmet

Purely an opinion, from someone who believes in an invisible, all-powerful immortal God...

Research shows that wearing a helmet can make things worse and any ortho will tell you that impacts vary, bones vary. The bloke can't know. The A&E consultant can't know. Even God can't know (well she might but she won't say).

Roubaixcobbles wrote:

if you go flying through the windscreen because you weren't wearing a seatbelt because you think being told to wear them is propaganda and spend your life banging on about this on social media, then that is your own silly fault.

You'd surely have whiplash if you are hit from behind and only hit the windscreen if head-on. And using seat belts is weak.

Look, if you think helmets are good then by all means wear one - I honestly don't mind - but name-calling because some people disagree with that view smacks of blinkered swallowing of a perspective rather than consideration of varied factors. If you think helmets are such a great idea do you also advocate wearing them while in the shower, climbing a ladder and walking downstairs?

Simon E wrote:

Purely an opinion, from someone who believes in an invisible, all-powerful immortal God...

"but n̶a̶m̶e̶-̶c̶a̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ridiculing because s̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶p̶e̶o̶p̶l̶e̶ you disagree with that view smacks of..."

Fixed it for you.

As a confirmed atheist, I agree. There's plenty of scientists with dodgy opinions and though I don't agree with the bishop about it being his fault, it's got nothing to do with his calling.

Sriracha wrote:

Simon E wrote:

Purely an opinion, from someone who believes in an invisible, all-powerful immortal God...

"but n̶a̶m̶e̶-̶c̶a̶l̶l̶i̶n̶g̶ ridiculing because s̶o̶m̶e̶ ̶p̶e̶o̶p̶l̶e̶ you disagree with that view smacks of..." Fixed it for you.

A little tricky to decipher but I think I get your gist.

And a fair point.

The resentment comes from a deeply religious upbringing, some aspects of which I value and some I find difficult reconciling with the world view I have now.

All my helmets are now at the bottom of the stairs. As we all know, you shouldn't wear one if there's no need as risk compensation will kill you instantly. So I can't wear one going upstairs. So what should I do?

Thinking of going upstairs while climbing a ladder, would that be ok - if only to get the helmets back to the top?